With the festive season fast approaching, many will be thinking about their Christmas dinner shopping list, which typically includes potatoes, parsnips, and a succulent turkey. However, one nutrition expert is recommending an additional, lesser-known item that could be particularly beneficial for those watching their cholesterol levels.
Dr Kevin Huffman, a bariatric physician and CEO of Ambari Nutrition, has highlighted the virtues of avocado oil in enhancing the healthiness of your holiday meals, primarily due to its ‘monounsaturated fats’ which are believed to help reduce ‘bad cholesterol’. “These oils are monounsaturated fats, which means they contain far more nutrients, and can improve your cholesterol levels,” he explained to Patient.
He also suggested: “Transforming mashed potatoes into cauliflower mash [also] offers a creative, nutritious swap for side dishes.”
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Dr Huffman’s advice is echoed by other health experts, including two researchers from China’s Hunan Agricultural University who recently published a scientific review praising the benefits of avocado oil. They pointed out its fatty acids and high levels of ‘phytosterols’, which are thought to contribute to lowering cholesterol, although more studies are needed to fully understand these effects.
“Avocado oil has a protective effect against hyperlipidaemia, lowering TC, TG, and LDL-C levels and protecting high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, a behaviour that can be attributed to high levels of MUFA, phytosterols, and tocopherols,” the study experts penned. They went on to note: “The outstanding potential of avocado oil as a health food has many benefits, among which the intrinsic nutrients of fatty acids, phytosterols, PCs, tocopherols and fat-soluble pigments have been studied more comprehensively. However, studies on whether other fat-soluble vitamins (such as vitamin K) present in avocados enter avocado oil during the extraction process, as well as their contents, stability and biological activities, are still insufficient.”, reports the Mirror.
You’ll find avocado oil stocked at various supermarkets including Sainsbury’s for £3.00, Tesco at £4.15 or Morrisons priced at £3.00.
Often praised for its ‘neutral taste’, it’s also heralded for delivering that much-desired crispy texture when roasting spuds. Conversely, Edward Mather from FuelHub suggests curbing overall oil use, proposing a healthier swap from conventional stuffing to one packed with whole grains.
His tip: “Swapping traditional stuffing for whole grain stuffing (use whole grain bread or quinoa instead of white bread) will boost fibre content and provide more complex carbohydrates as opposed to simple carbs.”
“Switching to desserts, using dark chocolate (less than 70% cocoa) as a dip for fruits like strawberries and bananas is a good alternative to traditional Christmas puddings.”
On another note, he suggested: “The Christmas period usually involves a lot of eating and this can take its toll on the digestive system. If this is a concern for you, add yoghurt and kefir to your shopping list. They contain probiotics – good bacteria – which improves the gut microbiota. This aids digestion and reduces constipation, so increasing consumption of yoghurt can be a good idea.”